ATLANTA--Former Heisman Trophy runner-up Joe Hamilton has been named running backs coach for the Georgia State football program, head coach Bill Curry announced.

Hamilton has been on the GSU staff for the last year as a recruiting intern. He replaces Todd Perry, the former NFL standout who elected to return to the high school ranks for family reasons.

"I first got to know Joe Hamilton as one of the great quarterbacks in Georgia Tech history," said Curry. "Then I spent time with him a few years later at the ACC Legends event, and I was impressed with his humility and his knowledge of the game.

"A year ago, I had the opportunity to add Joe to our recruiting staff, and since the day he got here, he has been a team player. He has gotten results, no matter the task," said Curry. "I think he has a bright future as a coach."

A consensus first-team all-American at Georgia Tech in 1999, Hamilton won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback while finishing second to Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne in the Heisman balloting. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year for all sports.

The native of Alvin, S.C., started four years at quarterback at Tech, played in four bowl games and led the Yellow Jackets to 30 victories and a share of the 1998 ACC Championship. He was named MVP of the 1997 Carquest Bowl and co-MVP of the 1999 Gator Bowl, both of which Tech won. He is still Tech's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense and holds numerous other records.

"I am very grateful to Coach Curry and Georgia State University for giving me this opportunity," said Hamilton. "Coach Curry has been a tremendous mentor, as a coach and as a person. There could be no better place for me to begin my coaching career, and I look forward to helping this program be successful."

Hamilton was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 1999, and this year he appeared on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame for the first time.

He earned his degree from Georgia Tech in 2008.

A seventh-round NFL draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2000, Hamilton played four seasons in the NFL with Tampa Bay and Indianapolis and also played in NFL Europe and the Arena Football League.